U.N. approves 3 N-remits

Press, 11 December 1982, Page 8

U.N. approves 3 N-remits

NZPA Washington The United Nations General Assembly, faced with three rival approaches to a nuclear test ban. decided yesterday night to approve all three. By lopsided majorities it gave its assent in turn to differently worded resolutions sponsored primarily by Western countries, by Third World nations, and by the Soviet Union. The United States opposed all, saying they lacked sufficient safeguards against cheating. On the Western-authored resolution, it cast the only negative vote, although its closest nuclear ally, Britain, was one of 35 Members abstaining. The sheer variety brought a call from Australia for more willingness to compromise and reach consensus on such issues. Its delegate, explaining its abstention on the Soviet proposal, lamented the “proliferation of multiple resolutions on similar topics." When the proposals were in committee last month, delegates of several Western nations had made the same point, saying the General Assembly was only confusing the public by passing differing resolutions on the same subject. The three drafts would: 9 Ask the United Nations Committee on Disarmament to seek negotiations for a comprehensive treaty banning all nuclear-test explosions. This draft, sponsored by Western and some Third World nations, passed 111-1 with 35 abstentions. The United States voted “No," with Britain, the Soviet Union, China, and France among those. ® Urge all non-adhering States to accept the treaty banning atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, and have the Committee on Disarmament seek negotiations for a treaty banning “all nuclear-weapon

tests." This draft, sponsored by Third World nations, passed 124-2 w’ith 19 abstentions. The United States and Britain voted "No," the Soviets. French, and Chinese among those abstaining.

@ Call on all nuclear-weapon States to refrain from any nuclear explosions until the Committee on Disarmament can draft and conclude a treaty banning nuclearweapon tests. This Sovietsponsored draft, opposed byWestern countries and China, passed 115-5 with 25 abstentions.

The United States and some of its allies refrained from supporting the two nonWestern versions on the ground' that they spoke of halting tests of “nuclear weapons,” but did not appear to rule out explosions for other purposes from which weapons information could be gleaned.

India, which has set off a nuclear explosion described as “for peaceful purposes." abstained on the Westernauthored comprehensive ban, but voted for the Third World-sponsored ban on weapons tests. The Western-authored resolution, which called for a “comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty," was sponsored by 22 nations, including Australia. Canada. Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines. Spain, and Thailand. The vote came on the first day of consideration of a wide range of disarmament proposals approved last month by the General Assembly’s Political and Securitv Committee.